Every winter, my fondest wish is to get out somewhere high on the first sunny day after a storm, when the trees and land are still frosted white and the air is bright and clear, so the whole scene is a brilliant winter composition of forests and peaks etched in snowy highlights.

But it’s a rare pleasure, because it takes a difficult combination of conditions: enough snow to cover the trees but not make travel too difficult, enough sun to light up the snow but not melt it off, a route that has high views but not too much danger, a group of friends that’s ready to go, and lucky timing to have all that come together on a day that I’m free.

We parked at Mt. Rainier’s Carbon River entrance (1750 ft) and followed the Boundary Trail till it reached Alki Crest circa 4500 feet. Then we followed the crest SE to Florence Peak at 5508. Part of the group followed the crest further to HowardPeak at 5682. On the way back, some of the group took a different branch of the ridge north from Florence to Sweet Peak at 4580, and then rejoined the Boundary Trail to exit.

Florence-Howard-Sweet Route Map

Boundary Trail

The Boundary Trail began in shadowy deep forest.

Looking down at the Carbon River

Boundary Marker on a Big Tree

Above 3000 feet, the forest became progressively more magical.

Light Amid the Darkness:

Light Amid the Darkness 1

Light Amid the Darkness 2

Light Amid the Darkness 3

Snow Blown Understory:

Snow Blown Trunks 1

Snow Blown Trunks 2

Snow Loaded Sapling

Tallness of the Trees:

Many Shapes

Tallness

Above 3500 we lost the trail. Circa 4000 we took a break by an open glade.

The Glade

Iron kicking up a rooster tail (He kicked almost all the steps the whole way.)

Skirting the edge of the glade

Back into the Woods

Snow periodically fell from the higher limbs, sometimes crashing down in blobs, sometimes drifting down in sparkles.

Tree Showers:

Snow Burst

Diamond Shower (look close)

Tree Shower Sunbeams

Nearing Alki Crest:

Snowshoers near the crest 1

Snowshoers near the crest 2

Snowshoers near the crest 3

Alki Crest

Along Alki Crest, the forest was a hallway of frosted columns, with occasional openings to see the snowy boughs above.

Iron

Martin & Eric

Bob

Sun Sneaking In

Hiking Past an Opening

Trees Swallowing Opus

Hiker in the Snowy Trees

More Tallness of Trees

Opus

Natala

Florence

Just below the false summit, the terrain opened up.

Path to the false summit

Arriving at the false summit

Rainier

Lots of Rime:

Rimescape

Rime Eruptions

Rimehenge

A brief scramble led to the true summit.

Matt at summit

Joanna & Natala coming to summit

Queen of the Summit

We enjoyed a lunch break on the false summit.

Luis is all ears

(False) Summit Party

(False) Summit Tea

Howard

Iron, Matt, Cartman, and Bad Dog made a side trip to Howard. (Iron kicked all the steps.)

We basically followed the ridge crest from Florence to Howard.
We dropped about a hundred feet back down our ascent route, then followed the SE nose of Florence down to the col at 5150, went over Point 5255, and up to Howard at 5683.

The ridge had a decent crest for travel the whole way: cornices on the left, trees on the right, a bit of rock on 5255, a broader slope on Howard.

Martin & Natala wanted to summit Sweet Peak on the way back.
It was a thousand feet lower and covered with trees, but it had a name, and it wasn’t far out of the way.
As we departed Florence, we stayed right and took the branch ridge northward circa 5200, dropped to the Florence-Sweet col at 4300, and went back up to Sweet at 4580.

Descending to Sweet

View back to north side of Florence

Sweet Summit Party

Then we returned to the col and angled down and west to hit the snowshoe tracks about 3800.

Down to about 3000 feet, the melting snow on the limbs above made a constant rain shower on us.
The trailhead actually is a short nature trail loop. What a surprise - it’s a rain forest!

But only if we have a little more flexibility next year, so we can shift pics between months. I know I've got a great pic that I took in February that would be good for April or May, but makes no sense for Winter.

I have just one question, Matt: when do you find time to hike?

--------------Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you....... Go and find it. Go!

Wow, I wish I'd joined for Horward and Sweet too! That ridge walk looks amazing. I'm glad I conserved my energy for Welcome pass the next day though. Snow conditions were so much better at Florence saturday.

well told story matt. your tale captures my feelings exactly. once we hit that ridge heading towards howard, i was in a pure euphoric state. not only was it warm and sunny with untouched powder and blue skies, but the wind - the wind was non-existant. the stillness in the air was mimicing the stillness of the snow and ice. everything just seemed to be perfectly frozen in time. i think i found myself whistling and laughing to myself while walking that ridge (which might just be a sign of a loose screw...). this doesn't happen much.

anyway, it was wonderful to meet everyone that was new (matt, martin, opus, and natala). it's just another reinforcement of just how amazing so many people are that frequent the nwhikers website. thanks everyone. let me know when you need some more steps

martin leading the way towards 'lunch valley'

departing 'lunch valley'

moss and snow coated tall trees

early morning shadows

the kind of skies we just love to see

just perfect

working through the trees up the ridge towards florence

approaching florence's false summit

approaching the false summit of florence

little summit scramble to florence's true summit

looking back towards false summit

lopsided snow-caked tree

working over one of many bumps on the ridge towards howard

martin on florence summit

florence summit shot - tea included

after dropping down from florence and heading to howard

wonderful ridge walk to howard

untouched fun near howard

blue framed by green

big cornices along initial section of howard ridge

heading up towards pt. 5255 and looking back at ridge from florence (not visible here)

tiny prints on otherwise untouched powder

the biggest cornice i've ever seen after dropping down from pt. 5255

point 5255

big cornice!

matt on pt 5255

nearing howard summt with pt 5255 in the wake

summit of howard and some unnamed peak in the background

straight lines are overrated anyway

exploring a bump on the east side of howard

howard summit shot

looking back at ridge heading towards florence

textured snowdrifts

--------------man, you go through life, you try to be nice to people, you struggle to resist the urge to punch 'em in the face, and for what?

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forumYou cannot attach files in this forumYou can download files in this forum